Published 7:58 am, Thursday, September 4, 2014

Dr. Leroy Garrett tells a story that makes a point all of us need to ponder.

“The young man told the prime minister that he hoped to study law and become a successful barrister. ‘Good,’ said the prime minister, ‘And then what?’

“The young man said he might be elected to Parliament. ‘Great. And then what?’

“Then the young man, emboldened by the prime minister’s encouragement, said, ‘Well, Sir, I might, like you, one day be prime minister.’ ‘Ah, indeed you might, young man. And then what?’

“The young man, now somewhat puzzled by the questions, said he supposed he would one day comfortably retire in the country and enjoy his grandchildren. ‘Splendid. And then what?’ asked the prime minister once more.

“‘Well,’ said the young man, now a bit humbled, ‘I suppose I will one day die.’

“‘That you will, young man, that you will. And then what?’”

No question merits our serious attention more than this one, and none seems to be ignored by more people.

All of us are worried about tomorrow: how to pay the water bill or the rent, how to meet a deadline or how to cram the most fun into the available hours. Although it does us absolutely no good, far too many of us fret about tomorrow, while we ignore the final “Then what?”

Remember Jesus’ parable about the rich farmer who went to bed exhilarated about his bumper crops? “Tonight your soul will be required of you,” the Lord informed him. “And then who will all this grain belong to?” Then what?

Jesus’ men were just like a lot of us — always jockeying for positions of honor, always trying to climb the pecking order for fledgling apostles. “Many that are first will be last,” Jesus warned them. “Whoever saves his life will lose it.” Then what?

A day is coming, Jesus says, “when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God.” They will hear “the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God,” and on every inch of the globe graves will open. Then what?

The Associated Press reported that five days before he died, American playwright and novelist William Saro¬yan called them and said, “Everybody has got to die, but I have always believed an exception would be made in my case. Now what?”

Gene Shelburne may be addressed at 2310 Anna St., Amarillo, TX 79106-4717 or at GeneShel@aol.com. Get his books or magazines at www.annastreetchurch.com. His column appears weekly.